


Skeleton Of The Opera

by Fifth_Maid



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Actor AU, Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Animal Abuse, Animal Death, Brief cherryberry, Edge is a dickhead, Edge is in prison, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fellcest - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, Forced Prostitution, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mainly Kustard, One-Sided Relationship, Past Rape/Non-con, Physical Abuse, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Prison, Rape/Non-con Elements, Red is an actor, Red is not okay, Sans is a stage hand, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Hatred, Sexual Abuse, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underfell Sans (Undertale), Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Sans (Undertale), Worried Sans (Undertale), kustard - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24695923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fifth_Maid/pseuds/Fifth_Maid
Summary: Actor Red AUSans is hired as a stagehand at a big name theatre and it’s there where he meets the lead actor, Red.His ‘cool guy ’ attitude is put to the test as he gets wrapped up in the mess that is Red’s life beyond the stage.Red, in the meantime, struggles to make ends meet and just wants to see his brother again.CURRENTLY BEING RE-WRITTEN!!
Relationships: Kustard, Papyrus/Sans (Undertale), Sans/Sans (Undertale)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 52





	1. Floating, Falling

Sans was always so invested in showbiz. 

It was weird considering he grew up in a remote area outside of Ebott, where the only place to watch films was a run-down cinema that was lodged in a creepy alleyway and the only films being shown were either horror flicks or cheesy romance movies.

He’d usually be the only person in the entire town lined up for the new film and he’d sit in the empty cinema and gaped with his jaw to the floor at the cinematography, the composition of each frame and paid special attention to the actors on screen.  
He loved every second of it, as lame as it was.

With his interests slowly leaking into his school life and becoming more than just a hobby, Gaster had begrudgingly bought him a digital camera collection of mismatched film equipment. 

Little did Gaster know, that birthday gift was what catapulted Sans into a gig in the big city with a notable theatre company. 

His familiarity with stage equipment and photography had apparently impressed the employers, the pay was pretty sizeable for a stagehand and it’d probably look impressive on his resume so of course, he took the job. 

He just didn’t expect he’d have to be there at _5 IN THE MORNING._

“-To King Asgore that you’ll behave and listen to their instructions carefully, Sans.”  
Even at 5 am, his father’s voice is loud and clear, without a single slur in his tone. 

“Yeah yeah, I know.” 

He’s been through this song and dance before at a bunch of smaller venues. 

He couldn’t hold jobs for very long as monsters were still slowly ingraining themselves back into the community. 

He could only be a ‘good’ monster for so long until he was inevitably deemed ‘evil’.  
Welp, time could only tell.

The car pulls into a large stone building that seems to span across the entire street, the front is decorated in royal purple ribbons that drape from the balconies to the ground and there are framed posters showing humans in dramatic poses.  
To Sans, this is one hell of a warning sign for over dramatic humans and a very bad time.

When his dad finally drives off and he opens one of the double doors, he’s hit with a cloud of pure warmth and instantly _melts_.  
It’s a stark difference from the snow and cold of the outside world.

There’s the smell of coffee in the entire hall, everyone inside is talking quietly amongst themselves and if he hadn’t known better, he would’ve assumed he stumbled into some hipster coffee shop. 

He almost loses himself in the feeling until he spots the director, judging by the name tag. Surprisingly she’s a monster, a goat specifically which makes his SOUL’s thrumming a little quieter.

“Hey, uh Ma’am.” The burst of energy that the woman extrudes when she sees Sans makes his nerves spike considerably and he begins to sweat. 

“Red! It is amazing to finally meet you in person.” 

There’s a pause between their conversation as people around them erupt in whispers and Sans scrambles to find his footing in the conversation.

“I-I’m sorry? I’m not..” There’s a brief flash of confusion before her energy returns.

“..I am so sorry, Sans, is that right? I am Toriel.”  
She smiles at him before extending a paw, shaking his much smaller hand. 

She ends up leading him around the studio, giving an in-depth tour of every part of the set. 

Sans can’t help but gawk at all the fancy tools, the lights above the stage are almost twice as tall as him and according to her, he gets to operate an ‘effects board’ during the show but the kicker was the camera he got given. 

As part of the job, he’d been asked to take pictures during the production to be used in advertising and brochures when the performance actually runs. 

The camera was equipped the highest tech he could think of which had absolutely sent him through the roof.  
He’s set for life with this hunk of amazing glass and metal!

“Over the course of the next months, we’ll be giving you a script specifically edited for you so you’ll know the cue for each set, lighting or effect change” 

Sans nodded eagerly along to Toriel, his eyes never once leaving the camera.

“And I want you to meet with the other crew members as well Sans, it’s one of my main rules here on the set, with team bonding comes with a great product after all.”  
She had chirped brightly before being interrupted by the sound of the old wooden doors slamming against the wall. 

Wind billowed into the room, causing the entire atmosphere to become destroyed in an instant.

Just like in any superhero movie, there in the doorway stood his evil twin, his no-good spitting image, his delinquent clone.  
“Red!”  
Apparently, _this_ was Red. 

The shorter skeleton saunters towards them and Sans gets a better look at the guy. 

He’s almost a head shorter than Sans, his face is sharper, with more edges around his jaw, his eyes are a viscous red, his teeth were ripped directly from sharks with a single gold tooth but the most frightening part about his doppelganger is his fashion sense.

Red turtle neck, red and black scarf, red collar, red sneakers.  
Edgy McEdgelord _really_ liked his name. 

“Toriel, it’s nice to meet you.” His voice was rough and deep, almost like ketchup., weirdly  
The people around them have become hushed, obviously listening in to the conversation.

“It’s an honour to work with a talented actor such as yourself Mr Fell, thank you for joining us for this production.” Sans sits back and listens to the two of them talk while he admires the rest of the area. 

They go back and forth about details for the play, she hands him a script and directs him to the changing room before making their way back to Sans. 

“-and this is Sans, I was just talking to him about the set, he’s our main stagehand for the performance.”  
Those red eyelights look him up and down, and Sans is paralysed just by his stare. Judging by Red’s scowl, he’s definitely not impressed by Sans either. 

“Hey, Edgelord. How are you doin’?” Red visibly tenses at the nickname, his entire frame retracts just a little bit and his smile becomes strained at the edges.

“Great, thanks fer askin’, blue balls,” Red says through gritted teeth, Sans’ grin grows wider as he stares at his new crewmate and buddy.

They’re gonna be real buddy-buddy alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i finally got an account and lets hope I stick around long enough to finish these stories
> 
> i wanted more of the original squad fics so I made some :-)
> 
> hang around, i'll have more fics up and i'll update every week or so
> 
> comments and kudos are always appreciated <3


	2. Sweet Intoxication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a successful rehearsal, malevolent Red disappears into the costumes unit.
> 
> Sans is left with more questions than answers.

_“The world showed no compassion to me!”  
The menace growls, his voice echoing in the dimly lit drainage system, his red eyes glaring dangerously at the man beyond his mask. _

_“Christine! Christine!” Raol weeps into his dirty shirt, he can do nothing but plead for his love who stands beyond his cage, her face twisted in hopelessness and despair._

_“Let me see her!”_

_“Be my guest!” The phantom chides as he reaches into his pocket to reveal.._

A script. 

“Mon.. Monsaur..? I bid ya welcome.” Red mumbles, the energy of the scene completely ruined as he fumbles his words. 

Sans watches from the scaffolding with amusement as Red attempts another fake accent. 

The skeleton was a real dickhead but Sans couldn't deny that he had talents. His ability to sing was completely left field and hit Sans _hard_ with surprise.  
Along with that, Red did make a very good evil antagonist when he wasn’t even acting. 

As Red finishes his line, it’s finally Sans’ cue as he turns on the smoke machine and changes the position of the lights as Red bolts across the stage. 

Red pulls a rope around the human’s neck as they mock struggle and Red ties him to a prop. 

Red tosses back his coat dramatically and turns to the furry monster waiting for him at the other side of the stage.

Sans trails the lights on Red as he stalks towards her, Red’s eyes still glued to the script as he reads through each line. His usual slur seems to be missing entirely. 

The furry monster begins to sing, her notes are a river as they wind and ripple around the echoey room, enthralling everyone including Sans. 

Red pipes up again as the human begins to harmonize along with the other two.  
The furry monster’s voice rises higher, Red’s voice dipping to a low hum as the human’s voice acts as the middle ground.

The human’s voice becomes strained slightly as he pretends to be choked as Red pulls on a loose rope prop.

The furry monster steps forward, her arms wrapping around Red’s neck before pulling him closer and he lets go of the prop, effectively letting the human free.

The two monsters are buried in each other’s faces as the scene finally ends.

A feeling erupts in Sans’ chest that he can’t place his finger on. He can’t dwell on it for long as the entire crowd bursts into cheers and applause.

Sans can see Toriel grinning to herself as she stands from her chair in a standing ovation.  
It’s only then that the two monsters separate.

The furry monster is smiling at Red before he breaks away from the pseudo hug, jumping off the side of the stage in a rush and disappearing around a curtain.

From his perch, he watches as Red immediately towards the dressing room while everyone congratulates the actors and the cat monster is left staring at where Red used to be in complete confusion. 

Sans turns off all the stage lights before trailing Red to the costuming rooms.

Not that Sans necessarily cared about Red, he was just.. Worried. 

He passes through the crowds of people, some offer Sans a celebratory compliment as he passes by.   
Toriel stops him briefly to consult the effects during the last scene which he hastily agrees to. 

When he finally turns the corner and reaches the dressing room, Red is completely fine, save for the red eye makeup running down his face and the angry sniffles and Sans…

Sans is ultimately stuck between two decisions.

He can feel his brotherly sense spike as he remembers the days when Papyrus had first learnt to ride his bike.   
It was a sad day for his brother’s knees.  
He wants to reach out and just comfort Red, hug him and tell him it’ll be okay without even understanding or knowing the problem.

On the other hand though,

he’s just met the guy barely a day ago, is it really his place to barge into his room and offer help? Red’s got an attitude that Sans isn’t fond of and he’s sure Red wouldn’t appreciate his invasion of privacy.

Before Sans can turn around and make a break for it, Red notices him.

“Are ya just gonna stand there and watch or are ya gonna help me?” 

Red’s makeup is smeared across his cheek like he’s got both skid marks across his face and acid burns, making Sans hold back a smart comment and a giggle.

Sans walks up to Red, offering a collection of tissues and a pat on the back but Red just stares back at him with an unimpressed look.

He scowls at Sans, batting the tissues away from him as if Sans had offered him a big pile of hot coals.

“With the makeup! Not my emotions, dumbass!” Red spits at him, venom lacing every word.

Sans is dumbfounded and his patience is draining, for how much he wanted to abstain because of how little he knew about Red, the other is not holding anything back.

Sans reaches for a makeup cleaning solution before wiping it across Red’s face and catching all the grime and tears.

It’s not exactly comfortable silence as Sans avoids eye contact as much as possible and Red tries to stay completely stiff while Sans cleans up his face.

He catches a glimpse of Red’s scar and he completely freezes up.  
Up close, the scars he’d become familiar with are   
_so  
much  
worse._

The crack ran across the top of his skull to the very lower back, splitting and creating webs of cracks along the way, it splinters slightly just above his socket.

That wasn’t the sort of crack you’d get from falling off a stage or getting hit with a blunt object, those would’ve completely shattered the back of his head and his eye socket for sure.   
So how did-

“H e y.   
Balls for eyes can you hear me? You’ve missed a spot.” Red’s waving his finger in front of his face and pointing at a small smudge below his chin. 

Sans has just about had it with Red’s attitude as he rubs the cloth roughly against the other’s chin.  
“You could say I’m eyeballing it?” He chuckles dryly before reaching for the red eyeshadow. 

“I’ll be the one to judge, and I say, that’s total bollocks.” Red barks as Sans reapplies the eyeshadow below his sockets.

On a better day, that would’ve made him smile but he doesn’t like to give Red, of all people, the one who had made an intern cry, the one who had been so cocky about his abilities, the one who had looked down on him as a stagehand, the benefit of knowing that his pun was somewhat funny.

Before long, he finishes Red’s makeup.

He looks the same as he did on stage, minus the light flush on his bones from crying.

When everything is set and done and Red gets up to leave, he turns to Sans one final time.  
“Don’t tell anyone about this, please.” His voice is barely a whisper as he leaves.

Sans is left staring at the space where he was at the door with more questions bouncing around in his head.

_Where did the scar come from?_  
Why was he crying?  
Why did Sans Care? 

Suddenly, the two of them are strangers again,

And for some reason, Sans doesn’t feel okay with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just had to kick start this story enough to go to steady chapters and i also couldn’t contain myself
> 
> all comments and kudos are appreciated <3


	3. Love Me,

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red becomes closer with Sans than he's ever want to be.

_Not one, not a single call._

The only texts and calls he'd received within the last few days were from Muffet, alerting him of his next session. 

The beginnings of tears pricked his eye sockets, threatening to burst like an overflowing dam.

He wasn’t allowed to call Edge directly, his brother _knew_ that. Red could only receive calls but even with the ability to call Red, Edge had still chosen to ignore him. 

Red had tried and tried for so long to just get Edge to _talk_ to him. Emails and letters had begun to pile on his desk, visitation days were left wasted and now that Edge had ignored Red’s insistence on a call, what else did Red have to expend?

How else could he tell his older brother he was sorry?

What other options did he have if he’d wasted all else?  
The guilt felt _so_ heavy and crushing against his shoulders, Edge was the only one he had left, he just couldn’t lose him,  
no matter how much Edge puts him through. 

He broke with a gut wrenching sob.

He cups his hands around his face, tears seeping through the cracks between his fingers. His entire body trembles with each whimper and sharp intake of breath.  
Magic stirs, collecting in his throat, making him feel sickly and on the verge of spewing.

He looks up only to have a good look at himself as the tears finally begin to slow.  
Red eye makeup is smeared across his scar and his jaw and there’s thick tear lines streaked staining his cheeks making him look ghastly.

That’s when he spots Sans hiding in the doorway. 

\- - - - 

“Don’t tell anyone about this, please.”  
He murmurs as he leaves.

By then, the rehearsal day was over and he’d leisurely collected his stuff and was almost out the door when a pair of hands tugs at his scarf with such urgency he almost falls over.

His skull whips back, already about to snap at the asshole only to see it was Sans, still an asshole but definitely unexpected since Sans usually avoided him in most situations.

The other is completely out of breath despite running a couple meters, leaning on his knees as he regains his breath..

“D-do you uh, wanna go to a.. uh baaaaaar?” 

The invite was definitely out of left field.  
Red had caught Sans giving him dirty looks before, especially when he yelled at that racist intern. There was an air around Sans that challenged people around him to take him down a few pegs and Red _hated it_.

And suddenly the narcissistic prick wanted to be buddy buddy with him? 

No.  
Fucking.  
Way.

“Why?” He sounds more accusatory than he wanted.

Sans didn’t seem to expect the answer as he scrambles to find an excuse. Red revels in the panic written all over the other’s skull.

“Because.. I wanna talk ‘bout the musical and actin’ and stuff.” 

Red must’ve been desperate for social interaction because for some ungodly reason he accepted.  
He wasn’t a drinker, at least he was trying to not to be but he did like the idea of a casual hang out session.

Red let out a long held sigh as he opened the door, letting Sans head out first before following suit. 

They walked in tense silence for a majority of the time, Sans making a comment about the scenery and weather every once in a while.  
Red could not relax and apparently neither could Sans as they stood a meter apart, both their shoulders tightly tucked in and Sans’ walk lacking the carefree attitude he’d usually have, matching Red’s usual demeanour.

When they finally arrived, the tension between them still had yet to lift but Sans did seem to ease up a bit as he stops to greet the people in the bar. He even seems to recognise the owner.

They sit down at a lounge area, the seats creating a U shape with curtains hanging above the arch for privacy. The place seems too intimate for two strangers, it seemed like the type of place where drug deals were made and hit men were hired.

The owner of the bar brings them water and Sans orders a cheeseburger and a couple beers for himself.  
Red asks for orange juice which seems to make Sans raise an eyebrow.

“Ya at a bar, buddy. Loosen up. Your ass is too tight.”

Red only scoffs at the comment. 

They soon fall into light conversation, this time not entirely one sided as Sans details his interest in space and physics while Red adds a comment about his career here and there.  
It’s weirdly pleasant.

Sans doesn’t give him the look of pity like everyone else does and Red can appreciate the integrity in that.  
Or maybe Sans is just ignorant. 

“So, you’ve got’ta service dog? What do you need a service dog for?” Sans grumbles through his mouth of food.

“He’s been off duty for a while.” That.. That was a lie. 

He’d kept the big bear of a dog at home most days now, after _the incident_ , he just can’t handle being around another animal 24/7.  
It was funny how even the most simple demands, like keeping a dog with him for example, couldn’t be followed through.

When Sans finally finishes and they’re about to part ways, Sans says something that sticks to Red like a hot iron burn for the rest of the night.  
“I hope we can do this again sometime.”

“What?” Red cringes at the way his voice turns into almost a growl.

“I said, I hope we can do this again sometime, it’s been nice just talkin’ with ya, pal.”

As Sans walks away, Red wonders if he’s finally made a friend or if he’s made another enemy that just wants a leverage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this story is verrrry slow burn, i hope whoever is sticking along is ready for an abundance of filler chapters
> 
> itll get exciting eventually i promise
> 
> all comments and kudos appreciated <3


	4. That's All I Ask Of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Red become closer after their bar excursion, everything seems to go well for a while until one day, Toriel brings in a dog.  
> Red remembers something he wishes he didn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warnings:   
> \- Animal abuse

Ah, coffee. One of Sans’ best friends in life.

There’s about 10 minutes before they have to start practice and Red has yet to arrive. Fashionably late, as always. 

Red and Sans had become sort of acquaintances after their outing to the bar. They’ve been talking more during the rehearsal breaks, occasionally they’d run into each other outside of work, Sans would always wave at him and Red would just smile at him.

They’re conversations were always great, they both had an obsessive love of puns, so much so that they even set up a point system with Red barely in the lead.

Apparently Red is also a _major_ insect nerd. The angry skeleton matched the aesthetic of his pets as he kept animals like tarantulas and praying mantises, the lunatic. 

Even after becoming friends, Sans could only count the things he knew about Red on his fingers and there was still so much he wanted to know.

Like how despite being a local celebrity, no one seemed to interact with him much, he walked home alone in winter to a shoddy apartment block where he lived alone and he also cried alone from what Sans had gathered from last month’s experience. 

It just wasn’t adding up. 

He’d wracked his brain for a few minutes until Red finally appeared in the archway of the coffee room, Sans calling him over. 

He holds out the coffee he’d gotten for Red and he just gawks at him, as expected. 

“What are ya lookin’ at me like that for?” Sans laughs, pushing the coffee closer to his friend and egging him on.

“I didn’t know what your preference was so I gotcha warm milk, it seemed like a you thing.” 

Red gives him the stink eye, the smug bastard, before taking a sip of it and settling down in his seat. 

They’ve got a few minutes left to chat so he might as well.

“Sooo.. What was keepin’ ya back?” 

“The ladies needed their morning cricket and protein, they _bug_ me til’ I fed ‘em. Fat assholes, can’t survive without food for over an hour!” 

Red crosses his arms and puffs out his chest, pouting as he mimics himself squashing a bug.

Sans lays his head on his crossed arms and listens intently as Red rambles on about the spiders getting out of their enclosure, angrily making gestures with his hands.  
.   
Usually Red isn’t so vocal about stuff, but seeing as the coffee room is completely empty (because Sans had asked everyone to leave) he’s gotten to see the side of Red he only assumed few have seen and weirdly, it makes him feel warm inside.

When the time comes, they both head out to their stations, Sans in the scaffolding and Red talking to Toriel on stage.

“Red, for this scene there’s gonna be an animal out, alright sweetheart? A corgi, specifically.” 

Toriel slows down a bit, noticing the panicked look on the actor’s face.

“I know there will be difficulty with this change but you’ll have to try and bear with it for a bit, it’s only one scene.” She smiles with sympathy, reassuring him with a pat on the shoulder. 

Red wants to smack the woman in that very instant, he hates that look. The look of pity, it’s something he’d grown up with but eventually became sick of. 

He pushes past her and puts on the phantom mask, the only choice he has is to move forward and bear with it as she said. 

The furry monster woman playing Christine, who he’s learned was named Catty comes onto the stage, a dog in her arms. He barely looks in her direction as he reads over his lines again his SOUL’s thrumming growing louder.

“In the scene, Christine is having an argument with the Phantom and Buttercup here-” Toriel chuckles, petting the cream coloured dog in Catty’s arms. “Will be there for one scene to ease the tension between the two.”

She takes Buttercup in her arms, jumping off the stage as the lights dim. Red doesn’t get his say in as the spotlight focuses on him.

_The phantom reaches forward, cupping Christine's face with delicacy as she flinches away, turning her back on him.  
“What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us?” He murmurs as she unlocks the cavern door. _

_“You have brought me to that moment when words run dry, to that moment when speech disappears Into si-”_  
Catty trips as Buttercup rushes out of Toriel’s arms and onto the stage, yapping cheerfully as she goes to chase a stray piece of rope on the stage.

Red takes a couple steps back, mindful of the edge of the stage as he waits for Toriel to finally get a handle of her dog.

“Bad Buttercup! That attitude isn’t acceptable, young lady!”   
Toriel ruffles up the puppy’s coat as she holds him by his scruff. The puppy barks at her happily, wagging his tail in delight and joy. To Red, it makes him paralysed.

It’s the way the woman holds the dog that ignites a memory within Red that makes him wish he never showed up for the day. 

_"I’m sorry!! I’m sorry!! Please… Please don’t hurt him!” In that moment all he did was scream. His eyes flooded with another set of tears as he shook violently in his brother’s much stronger grasp. He begged and thrashed in the tight grip, reaching as far as he could to pound against his brother’s fist._

_With every kick, every pound of his fist and every solid hit his brother landed, Doomfanger grew more and more still, his howls of pain growing softer until finally he collapsed._

_The animal’s fur was matted by the blood pooling underneath him, the cat’s eyes becoming sunken within his skull._

_When his brother had gone to bed after taking a shower, Red was left to cradle the body of his pet and clean up the remains._

He’s falling before he wakes up from the memory, he’s falling backwards. 

When he lands, he hears the sound of bone popping and pain bursts in his foot.

“HOLY SHIT!” He hears Sans scream from the scaffold and the sound of panicked voices around him. Someone urges Catty to call the ambulance.

When he looks down, he realizes he’d fallen off the stage, there’s bone protruding from it’s socket around his ankle, marrow steadily dripping from the wound, creating rivers of red down his foot. 

He can see Toriel’s eyes bulge in concern as she looks at him, puppy now gone.

Sans is above him, holding his head up and attempting to take off the mask, Sans was always odd like that.  
Someone’s covered his leg with a cloth to try and stop the blood flow.

His eyelids feel so heavy, maybe he’ll take a nap for a while.

Yeah, naps were always his best friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not my greatest chapter but i hope it sufficed
> 
> the fic might start getting juicy next chapter ;-)
> 
> comments and kudos always appreciated <3


End file.
